It Will Cost $32 to Visit One World Trade Center’s Observatory
On Monday we learned that tourism is predicted to bring in one quarter, roughly $53 million, of the One World Trade Center’s annual revenue by 2019. And now the much-talked-about ticket price to visit the three-floor observation deck of the tower, known as One World Observatory, has been revealed. It will cost $32 for an adult to visit the observatory when it opens in the spring of 2015.
One World Observatory will sit 1,250 feet above ground on floors 100, 101, and 102 and cover 125,000 square feet. The $32 adult ticket price will be for visitors ages 13 to 64; children under five will be free; children ages 6 to 12 will cost $26; senior admission will be $30; active and retired military members will receive special discounts; and complimentary admission will be offered to 9/11 family members and rescue and recovery workers. To compare, the Empire State building charges $29 for an adult to visit its 86th floor main deck and $47 for both the deck and the observatory.
Upon entry, visitors to the observatory will be greeted in the Welcome Center where a video board will display a personalized greeting in their native language. They’ll then watch a pre-show program called Voices of the Building, which will describe the rise of One World Trade Center though first-person accounts. Five Sky Pod elevators, among the fastest in the world, will then take them to the top of the tower in under 60 seconds. Even the elevators will be part of the interactive experience, as they’ll feature three walls of floor-to-ceiling LED TVs that will showcase the growth of the city skyline.
The elevators open to the 102nd floor where guests will watch a two-minute, time-lapse, 3D video in the See Forever™ Theater. This floor also offers catering services as it operates as a 9,300-square-foot special event space, which boasts floor-to-ceiling, uninterrupted views, high-end décor, and a state-of-the-art sounds system with HD projection abilities.
The 100th floor is the main observatory and includes the Sky Portal, a 14-foot-wide circular disc in the floor that provides a live HD view of the streets below. On the 101st floor are three dining options: a seated, upscale restaurant; an on-the-go café; and a bar.
To take a full virtual tour of One World Observatory, be sure to check out this video:
[Related: It’s Expected That Tourism Will Bring in 25% of One World Trade Center’s Revenue]
[Via Gothamist]
Renderings and video of One World Observatory via Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
